Secondary menu

You are here

Images from Digital Maker Collective Tate Exchange Event 8th Feb 2017

On 8th Feb 2017 between 12 & 6pm University of the Arts London (UAL) Digital Maker Collective performed the 1st of 4 'Digital Making Art School' events at Tate Exchange, below are a selection of images from the day, alongside feedback/overview of the day from Tate's perspective, click on the links to projects to see more images from the day for that session:

We were really pleased to see so many UAL staff, students, alumni and guests take part and help set up and deliver the event (image of the UAL digital maker team below). It was also great to see so many staff & students from UAL who came along and got involved for the first time. Images by Abigail Fletcher (AF) and Chris Follows (CF)

It was a busy day and a popular event, 581 visitors between 12pm & 6pm.

Crowds drifted in throughout the day, students came to find their college or friends but also other visitors, many adults visitors who knew someone displaying their work, some heard about the event online and others walking by the space wanted to know what it was all about. ‘It was jolly good fun.’

Image above by AF: Members of the event are keen to stress all their work is individual-led but they are a collective which ignores hierarchy or levels of experience (one adult student explained she was only in her first year).

Image above by CF: ‘This is mostly about communication and sharing, collective text,’ mentioned one of the members. ‘It’s about cross-semination. This is where I find my ideas, where I can discover, for example, what Wimbledon are doing, and how to integrate some of their work into mine.’

Artificial creatures and utopian or dystopian worlds created with green screens, students acting out and reciting on a microphone spontaneous, very loud, poetry (which visitors could create using cut-out words), faces painted like warriors with green paint, making parts of their faces disappear on screen. (Image above by AF)

There were hacked objects, sensors, fibre-optics, lenses. Discussions were around how information can be transferred between electronic, non-electronic, analogue and low-tech devices (one using bananas). (Image above by AF)

There is also a symposium on virtual realities which was full all day. (Image above by AF)

A teacher arrived around 1pm with around 18 students (GCSE age), she was unsure if they were allowed to enter the space. Adeola brought them in, explained what was going on and let them know the space is for them. Another group 16 students from the same school arrived shortly after. (Image by AF)

Image above by Nicola Rae

Both groups spent approx. 35 minutes in the space – dancing with robots, playing with the VR (only a couple retreated to the sofas).

They were blown away by our programme, telling Tate staff that London needs more places like Tate Exchange because London is a place where people don’t talk to each other. They said that Tate Exchange should be the face for London!

End of the day comment card: ‘Very cool space. Very interesting! Thank you!’ (Image by AF)

We were really pleased to be visited by the Director of Tate Modern Frances Morris and the Tate Council and their reaction to the event was fantastic, lots of really positive & encouraging remarks. Frances and members of Tate Council spent a lot of time walking around the event and talk to the Collective. (Image by AF)

Director of Tate Modern Frances Morris and the Tate Council being welcomed by Chris Follows into the Digital Maker Collective opening event. (Image by AF)

About the Digital Maker Collective

The Digital Maker Collective are a group of artists, designers, staff and students from the University of the Arts London (UAL) who explore emerging digital technologies in arts, education, society and the creative industries.

The collective are supported by Digital Learning, Teaching & Enhancement at Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon Colleges of Arts, UAL.